Monday, April 26, 2010

Finally I'm back without a million things to do. It has been a busy week here on our Lane. (If you listen to Garrison Keillor you will get the outright plagiarism going on). My cousin and I went to Dallas to meet up with Bossy and her friends. You were promised something...oh yes....pictures of the stained glass windows. They were truly a sight to behold!

Well, clearly this isn't what I was looking for....this is a picture of our back flowerbed.

This is one of the many stained glass windows. Our hostess has in the past made and taught stained glass making, so she knows without a doubt, a great deal on the subject. Their home is beautiful. When we first got there everyone was speaking in a very low voice...like your church voice...not you, Melli. *grin* I know you are praising the Lord to high heaven!

And another

In fact this may be different shots of the same window. I just don't remember. It was all so beautiful. On one side there was a small round table and on the other a very long table with many chairs, but the windows were the same.

I hadn't realized how old I'm getting, until I sat for this picture of Bossy and me. ps...she really isn't Bossy at all, you know. She has a very sweet temperament and is patient to a fault. We, my cousin and I, got there early...*gasp*...you can only imagine how we felt, but we were put at ease by Bossy, who had arrived just before we did, and our hostess and her helpers. Oh yes, they didn't get my badge correctly spelled. They just stopped at Amber, guessing I either didn't want my last name known to anyone or that it just didn't matter. I borrowed a pen and put an * after my Amber to make Amber*. Dangit...is my name! I have to concede that in a certain phase of the negotiations early on I did say that my cousin and I might not be ready to disclose everything with everyone, but dang it is a psyeudonym anyway!

This used to be the choir loft, but it is something else now. I didn't go up to check it out, however; I did comment that the reason people quit attending church possibly was related to stairs, aching feet/knees, and something else probably involving broken hips and such. And I didn't have one thing alcoholic to drink. Oh, speaking of that, when the margaritas started flowing so did the conversation. It was nice to have twenty or more women at the table yakking their heads off about blogging and people asking "Oh, 'You are Peel Me A Grape'!" "Love your blog, girl!".

The young woman across the table from me didn't understand it at all. I didn't understand how she had missed it, but told her what I knew, which my blogging is not a novel or a treatise on any subject. It is a journal of how I feel about a certain subject today. She seemed to understand "Stream Of Consciousness", so that was good. Sort of got me wondering if she is a journalist trying to figure out the world of blogging. There are pictures if you don't speak my language...mostly Texan. Sometimes it is from the bad place when I get mad and sometimes can be understood by everyone by my body language, but then you can't see that over the monitor, thank goodness. This blog is never going to win a Pulitzer prize or anything for that matter. It is just fun to me...except when the computer gets hosed up and I'm ready to take an axe to it. *giving it a knowing look* It has already started with me today, and she knows it! She is pointing in the direction of the den where the laptop is residing today. Yeah right!

On the opposite side of the sanctuary/family room there was a wonderfully well equipped kitchen where the altar used to be. Going up the matching stairs a la the choir loft on the other side, I came to two conclusions, one is that stairs are not good for my knees and, 2. she had some lovely jewelry making class stuff up there.

As I said before the week from the bad place came, they got take out fajitas and they were good. Added plus was there were very few dishes to be washed. Actually none for me, because I sort of disappeared about that time.

I do want you to see this picture before you leave.

The walls were painted a very soft gold. The sun shining through the windows on the wall changed the colors on the wall and in the picture. It was very beautiful, and I hope I had the flash on my camera turned off. I nearly got thrown in the carcel in Cuernavaca for taking pictures of the murals Diego Rivera painted...oh a long time ago. The museum guy told me in no uncertain terms to turn off my flash! It would eventually, with all the gringos coming and taking pictures, fade the colors. Comprende? and there was a harsh look on his face. He turned to leave and I thought I had the flash off, but at that moment I took another picture...you have to understand how powerful his, Diego's, murals are. I thought he was coming to get me for sure. But I showed him I couldn't turn the flash off. Also, just fyi, if you are ever in a submarine and want to take a picture of the fish swimming past and you have a throw away camera...hold your hand over the flash part or you will get a swell picture of yourself in the glass. Just things I've picked up on the road of life.

I won't bother you with anymore about the house and how fabulous it is and will tell you about the drive to and from Dallas with my cousin. We should never be allowed in a car together alone. There is absolutely too much laughing going on! We got lost..ok.

Also, fyi...we had a great time! Thanks for the memories. I'll send a note as soon as I can find out her name and where to send the note.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

How is everyone? Life has been a little on the wild side around here and after I got home from a meeting this morning I went back to bed and stayed there. I had a low temp of 100.9 so I slept most of the day.

Anyway a friend sent me a link to this page of the volcanic eruptions and how it is going on the farmers and their animals down below. It is fabulous camerawork.

You can see it here. I hope you enjoy and or freaked out as much as I was looking at them. The power of nature is unreal.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day and I can finally get my pictures up from the big Dallas meeting.

Oh mercy...it has been a long time since I've posted anything. There has been a tidal wave of "things to do" and more. Hopefully I can get some pictures up this afternoon. We finally got them downloaded from the camera, but I was too tired to try to make any sense out of them.

Meeting this morning

Something in between that I can't remember..oh yes...water aerobics. *whimper*

Meeting tonight.

Hopefully some time in between...and I have a sore throat this morning. arrghh.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Last night we all met in Dallas for Bossy's No Book Tour and had a great time with about a dozen other bloggers from our area. Most were young women with a professional job. Some were seeking employment to compliment their husband's work. All were extremely nice women, and one had experienced exceptional recognition. She has only been on Blogger for about one and a half years and was contacted by CNN a few days ago for an interview about a "Glee" watching party she and her son are going to put on for his friends. She was very calm about it all and I don't think had taken in the full extent of what has happened to her! We, down on our end of the table, did. She is a sweet girl and I wish her all the best luck...like she needs it. :)

The home where we met is a rehabed old church that was built in 1925. When the lady who owns it now bought it there was a great deal of work to be done, and she has made a wonderful change to the lovely old building. Someone told me when she bought the church the inside had been painted a not so lovely blue in all rooms. *gak*. The floors hadn't been stripped and refinished when they bought it, but now they are beautiful. My cousin was having a hissy fit to know what stain they had used, because she wants to have that same color on her hardwoods. Back to the paint color they selected for the walls they painted it a soft gold and as the sun changed positions while setting it changed colors on the wall. The paint is such a grand color for the church.

The downside of an older building that is a church is that it has little steps where you least expect them. I know. The little step in question had been pointed out to me and I'd been warned, but as I was talking with my cousin, Pye, I walked right off that durn little thing and nearly fell. I did splash water onto the floor, but that part is stone. I was a little shaken thinking of all that could have happened, but took a minute to thank God there were no broken bones or worse.

I'm pretty sure the reason people stop going to church is that the stairs are very steep. My knees, if you could ask them, met their match last night and I'm pretty stove up today. Another joy of aging well is that stairs are no longer fun and church stairs are very steep. I think my cousin told me there are 10 bedrooms, or something like that. All of it is just beautiful and so well cared for. The sanctuary is the family room with several sofas and a conversation area. There is a small game table with really feminine colors and frills. The altar area has been remodeled well into a fabulous kitchen with a country sink that is a copper one, I think. I just couldn't go poking around into everything being a bad guest, and being asked to leave or something as horrifying.

We had fajitas for dinner and they were good! Dessert was some heavenly concoction made from nuts, coconuts, and flaky crust. Not a pecan tassie, but very delicious. There was so much to see and take in yesterday this may have to be a two day post. Needless to say, we enjoyed ourselves, ate well, had a lovely tour of the home. It was something to remember for a long time.

I didn't mention the stained glass windows did I? Tune in tomorrow. Same time Same station.

Bossy is on the road today to Houston. Better her and me! I'm tired today and if I'd had to get up and hit the road...oh my. Houston bloggers hang on to your hat. The sweet young woman named Bossy is on her way. I'm so glad we, my cousin and I, went! I didn't go last time Bossy was in our area and it would have been such fun to meet up with people from then. Many had met before at the last tour. It was a fun evening meeting new people and enjoying them so much.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

My cousin and I are going over to Dallas Monday evening to meet with Bossy and her pals known as her posse. We Texans are all about posses...we know what they are. It is looking like it is going to be such fun. There are a number of us meeting at a lady's home. We are going to have fajitas...we Texans know all about fajitas, too. We loves us some tasty fajitas on a night when we are supposed to be doing some such that has nothing to do with Bossy, her posse, or fajitas.....that is a good evening in store.

Bossy is having a (No) Book Tour, because she hasn't gotten one written yet and just wanted to get around the US and meet all of us. This tour will eventually leave her too exhausted to breathe probably. She will be driving 12000 miles give or take in the little Ford Fusion, that has been christened "Harrison" and is going hither and yon to visit us. If you would like to keep up with her click the image at the top of this page and it will take you to her blog where all the pictures and fun stuff are.

My cousin, Pyewacket Cat, and I have been entering phone numbers into our cell phones to be able to contact each other...well, probably not each other...we will be in the same car, but if we get separated...well, then we will be grateful we took the time for this precaution. Driving to Dallas and one never knows about that place. We thought about getting a license to carry, but ditched that idea as not being a good one...also one fraught with extreme danger of shooting ourselves in the foot or something. So, unarmed we will be entering the land of the weird and haughty to visit our little friend.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Yesterday was one full day! Met my pack of girlfriends at the Botanic Gardens Restaurant and had a lovely lunch in the middle of the lush spring flowers. Then I was off to home hoping for some time to clean or something useful. Didn't happen. Hubby wanted to go look at cars. We've been talking about getting a new one for some time now. I don't know what I want, but comfort is really high on my list of must haves. We drove a GMC Terrain that from looking at on the internet and in magazines looked totally,cool. I didn't like it, but it would be a great little car for soccer moms. The osteoporosis in my back didn't like it, either. So now that I was totally unable to move w/o pain we decided to check out the Cadillacs. I got to tell you the CTS although very cool wasn't what I wanted, either. It felt very snug.

We then drove a Cadillac SRX which I'm not sure is it, either. Buying a car is the most labor intensive, mind wrenching ordeal next to childbirth or buying a house Ive experienced. We had an appointment with the salesman to discuss stuff, but I'm not ready to wrangle yet. Also, I want to check out some of the other brands. It has been 10 years since we've bought a car and actually I've come to like my car pretty well. For real I wish hubby would trade in his POS pickup...but I'm not seeing that happen yet. However, when we were out I saw a bad ass PU that almost stole my heart. It was black and big and a Texas version...I fell in love, but it was sort of ridiculous for me to get in and out of with my back issues. Oh well. If I had scads of money I'd be like Jay Leno and have cars and trucks everywhere. But, I am not, so I have to make the best, most informed decision possible. My Avalon has been a great car and isn't one of those that run away with you.

Hubs is on the other computer looking at Hundais and other things. It is time for me to go to water aerobics...some idiot is texting my husband...and it is time to make a break for it. I sent them a message telling them to STOP. Hopefully it will work. It did when I was working and someone started texting my work phone from Holland or something. The tech at the phone store texted them to STOP and they did. There needs to be blocking feature on cell phones.

The weather is supposed to be really nice today and for a few more days. Thank goodness the wind has died down. It has been very stong for a long time now.Have a happy day and I'm outta here.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Good Morning,It seems like this is one of those weeks where I'm running all the time. Yesterday I worked out and they really did a fine job of remodeling. Now we don't have to live in terror the a/c might fall into the pool with us. It was a relief to say the least to not to have to worry about getting fried while doing something to help my body.

After that I got my hair cut and then on the way home I stopped and got a mani and pedi. It was a me day. All the gussying up is because next Monday I Am Bossy is coming to town on her (no) Book Tour. She didn't have a new book but she wanted to get out to meet her fans. I can hardly wait. We are going to meet up in Dallas if she makes it through all those little pins on her map! Yipes...there are lots of 'em. She was in D.C. last night and NYC the night before. My cousin is excited, to meet her, too. In fact she is thinking we might spend the day in Dallas and then go to the meet and greet. I'd be worn out by then, but if she is driving...we'll see.

Today I meet with the girls for lunch...at 11:30. Guess I'd better get busy.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

You scored Alice! You are kind-hearted and curious and give yourself very good advice, but seldom follow it, which leads you into trouble. You always try to be courteous and polite, but you become cross when people speak in nonsense to you and scold them sharply.

Alice

83%

Carpenter

83%

A Playing Card

67%

Caterpillar

67%

Queen of Hearts

50%

The White Rabbit

42%

Oyster

42%

The Dormouse

42%

Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum

42%

Cheshire Cat

33%

March Hare

33%

Walrus

33%

Flamingo

25%

Mad Hatter

25%

If you wish to find which character you are most like go here:http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/milelk/which-alice-in-wonderland-character-are--you/

Today is workout day again. The Y has been closed for two weeks to work on the pool. It will be a good thing to get started again. Ooops...didn't make it today. Have a wonderful day.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Kat_RN from from A Kats Cornerhas tagged me. Actually, she was tagged several days ago and just got around to tagging others.

The rules to this one are fairly simple;• Open your first photo folder and select the 10th photo• Publish it and tell the story of the photo• Link back to the person who tagged you• Tag 5 friends and inform them.

This photo was taken a couple of years ago in Port Aransas when my husband and I took some time away for R & R after many days of caring for the inlaws. Those days were glorious fishing and resting days. Our condo was on the second floor so we could see over the sand dunes. The temperature was just right.

Later in the fall when the cold fronts start coming through it gets a lot colder there than you would think. A couple of years before we had planned out a short get away and the first Saturday night after we got there was a HUGE cold front that came in Sunday morning. On the island news isn't as important as it is farther north in Texas where we live. We have a couple of weather channels and 24 hour news channels and they are all on very early, even on Sunday morning in Fort Worth. Not in Port A. Nope. That was when I decided I'd never be able to live there. Not only was there no weather channel there were NO channels being broadcast at 6am. I thought ok...I maybe understand the television people not working on Sunday, so decided to try the radio. They had a recording on that was playing old band music. I really like The Benny Goodman Orchestra, but not when THERE IS A BIG WIND AND IT IS REALLY COLD type weather. The wind was blowing so strongly it was blowing the outside trash cans around and they were clanging. My husband slept through most of this racket.

Finally I decided there wasn't a tornado in the area and that the wind was probably just a gust front. A very strong gust front. I got up and to shower and get ready for the day. Hubby did, too after a bit. We went to the island cafe for breakfast and Lord Have Mercy it was cold. We stayed out the few days we had, but he didn't catch any fish and I finished my book.

The 2008 trip was so much different. It was lovely and warm. We had the nice condo right on the ocean and a kitchen for breakfast and/or dinner. That saved some money and a lot of hassle by not having to go out for breakfast. Out on the balcony we had lounge chairs and a picnic table. It was pleasant to sit out in the morning with a cup of coffee or at night watching the moon shine over the water, walk on the beach, and to sit at the picnic table and have a beer to end the day. It was a very pleasant trip, but my husband forgot his long sleeved fishing shirts so we had to go back to the mainland by ferry to a store to pick him up a long sleeved heavy shirt. He has fair skin and burns easily. He looks sort of odd when he comes out to fish. Other people just start fishing right like they ought to, but he has to have a hat, sunblock, long sleeved shirts, and long pants. I fish in my bathing suit. However, I'm not so fair as he is. My gift from my Indian, feathers, ancestors is skin that tans very easily and so far Thank You, Lord I've not had any ill effects....or melanomas. We returned from this trip relaxed and happy because most everything went well. We didn't catch a lot and I only bought a one day fishing license and read the rest of the time. When we go down there it is my time to rest and relax and do whatever enters my head. Corpus Christi is just over the bridge on the other end of the island, so if I decide to shop...there it is.

One afternoon we drove out on one of the highways, I can't believe there is more than one, but anyway there was a pottery shop of Mexican Talavera Pottery that was having a sale. We spent a good deal of time shopping and looking there. The night before we had caught some fish we had filleted and cleaned at the dock and we took some to the restaurant and they cooked them for us. That fish was a noble fish who gave his life for our dinner and it was very much appreciated.

As you might have guessed we love the ocean and the laid back lifestyle of the small island of Port Aransas, even though it has grown so much since the kids were little and we would go there and throw crackers into the air for the sea gulls to catch. Those were good days.

See, you got two stories for the price of one.

Now for the tagging of friends who will probably not love me after this, here we go.

This top photo is my tenth photo, in the first folder of my pictures on my computer, and the following are the chosen ones to share a story with us.

I tag Kate just for the fun of it, girl.I tag Judy who has some of the best stories.I tag Melli who really has some grand stories.I tag Arkasas Patti because she has SOME stories you would love to see.and I tag Carol if she ever gets back from wandering the country with her husband and I can't remember if she took Luckie or not.Anil P. do you have a story from the 10th picture from first folder of pictures on your computer.

If these people don't have time to share a story go to their blogs and read the wonderful things they have to share. Hopefully they will drop by your place, as well.

That is more than 5, but one may falter and not make it. If you want to tell us a story just let me know! I love 'em.

The Easter Egg hunt and dinner was such a fun time. We went to our son and daughter in law, and grandson's home. Some of their friends came over for dinner with us. My dil had prepared a prime rib, mashed potatoes, and green beans. There was also a salad with an excellent dressing her friend made. She is from Germany and had the nicest children. They were very open and happy kids who really enjoyed the Easter egg hunt, held at their house, a lot. We, the women, went over and hid the eggs in their huge yard. I'm about half dead today from the pollen. I looked at pollen.com yesterday and before and it has been pegged out for weeks. The highest is 12 and we have been at 11.8 all that time and again today.

Our son has a fantastic camera and got pictures of the kids running that were so sharp their hair was flying behind them and their feet were off the ground. Katcha had put quarters in her eggs! They had fun finding those along with the ones stuffed with candy. I took some cupcakes with jelly bean eggs and Easter stuff on top. I'd say they were plenty sugared up before we left to come home. That is something parents love for guests to do for them. *angelic smile*

While we were down there we looked at a new sub-division with waterfront lots. There weren't many houses built, but some were very nice. The thing is if we moved down there I'm sure the kids would move somewhere else. My family is in a shuffle mood right now. The one who lives on the coast is tired of hurricanes and is thinking when she moves to come more toward the center of Texas. The youngest only has five years left to work...which astounds all of us, and she has told me she and her guy are going to go to chili cookoffs and ride motorcylces. My little family is sort of odd, but we love them. Our son still has 20 years left to work and he is older than the youngest, naturally...duh.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Woo Hoo...it is a busy evening! I put eggs on to boil. They are not for dying, but for deviling. We are going to our son and dil's home. We are going to have Easter dinner at their home and then go to their friend's house for the kids to hunt Easter eggs. I'm sure there will be a bunch of little jazzed kidlets zooming around in a sugar haze.

Earlier this evening I went to get my mil a new outfit for Easter. The outfits are pretty darn cute and I'm tempted that some might want to stay here with me. They can all be mixed and matched and are cute as can be. It would have been fun to buy TJ his first suit for Easter, but I'm not sure they are attending church these days. The pastor they loved moved on and my son cannot abide the new one. We are a family of strong emotions...for some weird reason. I have no idea where they got it. *angelic grin*

The in laws are doing well. I hope she likes the outfits and they fit. We went with a major part of clear blues and white tops and ,matching blue slacks, white pants, and navy ones. Most of her clothes have worn out. She was unable to get out to shop and when we bought clothes she put them away. I got out the put away ones and got them washed and ironed. As soon as we can get her size settled it will be easy.

Hope everyone has a Blessed Easter filled with fun, family, and food. Watch out for too much chocolate.

Don't forget to go by and click on the "Babies" post over on Fever. All about just below.

If you have time go, run, get to a blog named Fever! The owner of the blog is a social worker of the best kind and is working on a promotion of a movie in order to get free stuff for her clients who really need it. The movie is wonderful and I smiled and laughed at the promo.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Oh rasslesnassle...the durn computer is running so slow even I could beat it. Isn't it always the way when you want to go to bed and read and this thing won't cooperate.

The pollen count around here is about a gabillion parts of pure misery per 100. This is the worst I've seen it in a while...or I forget from year to year. It could happen. Everything outside is covered in yellow pollen. Everyone's throat is sore and eyes are burning. Once again Fort Worth is one of the worst in the nation on pollen.com. Winner! Winner! Chicken dinner. That is another one of those sayings that has crept into my mind. It is from a movie where all the students had to learn how to count cards in Las Vegas. Sometimes I think I waste a lot of time watching movies, but then how would I know what that meant?

I got stumped by the "Runaway Scrape" this evening! It was part of Texas history and I didn't know! Oh arrggh! Please don't let Diane find out. Some of the ladies in my knitting group are retired teachers and they just come out with the dangdest things from time to time. Monday night it was who all was at the Alamo and the ones you think were there..well, they weren't. I'll have to get a list and study it. The reason they said most people didn't know is that the actors played the same role in differnt movies and people just get confused. I know I was.

Talked with my older daughter this evening and she has laryngitis and bronchitis and she only traveled to Austin last weekend. We all usually come home from Houston with allergy related junk, but this time she got it. HA! She called the other day and wanted to know when we would want to come down to visit. She was filling out her schedule for the year!?! and thought it would be nice if we scheduled now. So we fell into lockstep with her. She is a good kid...and has no idea how weird she is. I called today and reserved a couple of days with her. Then we are going on the road for a while. It has been a long time since, well especially my husband has had a break, and myself, too. So we are gonna hit the road sometime this summer and we may not come back. Sometime this year I was ready to move off and not tell anyone and see how long it took them to notice we were gone and to start looking for us...and maybe we would answer our cell and maybe not. They would never know.

Have a goodun tomorrow. I've already thought it was Thursday today when it was Wednesday when I started typing this...so that is how crazy its been around here this week.

Oh Gah! I forgot...today is the third anniversary of my quitting smoking! That is NO April Fool Joke, either! I'm sort of proud of that three years and I know I've saved a LOT of cash on it, too!

Randomness

Some days are random and some are just wildly frenetic. It will be hard to find, but I so enjoy a totally Serene Day. This blog will be about my search for those days and tell about the absolute randomness in our lives. We pretty much never know what the day has in store for us...that makes life so interesting.